Policy

1．Educational and Research Objectives

The Faculty of International Social Sciences' principal goal is to help students develop their abilities to think globally and from a broad viewpoint when participating in international business. We seek to cultivate the basic social science and academic abilities essential to comprehend and investigate global concerns, as well as build communication skills that will enable students to take action in a global setting, through a curriculum that merges social sciences and language instruction. In our study, we want to learn how international differences affect economic and social activities from a variety of angles in order to better understand society and find solutions to problems.

2．Diploma Policy

The Faculty of International Social Sciences will award the bachelor degree of social sciences to students who have completed the required period of enrollment and earned the required credits in accordance with the program regulations as well as those who are recognized as having the following abilities;

Knowledge and Skills

  1. Those who have acquired the English skills necessary to be active in the field of international business.
  2. Those who have acquired specialized knowledge in the field of social sciences and have mastered basic research methods.

Thinking, Judgment, and Expression

  1. Those who can think logically based on data and statistical analysis.
  2. Those who have the ability to make presentations and discussions to people from diverse cultural backgrounds and values.
  3. Those who can propose logical and persuasive solutions to problems.

Interest, Willingness, and Attitude

  1. Those who have an interest in issues facing international society as a member of the international community.
  2. Those who can analyze issues using social science methods and are willing to work toward solutions.
  3. Those who can communicate proactively with users of English and other languages besides Japanese.

3．Curriculum Policy

The Faculty of International Social Sciences systematically organizes its curriculum based on the following contents and methods in order for students to acquire the abilities set forth in the Diploma Policy.

Educational Content

The curriculum consists of the following three main subject groups.

(1)Social Science Courses

Students will undertake the five fields of social science studies covering the areas of law, economics, business management, area studies, and sociology in Japanese in the first year, in Japanese and English in the second year, and mainly in English in the third year and later. They will analyze the structure of international society using the methods of social sciences, to consider solutions to problems, and to acquire the ability to make presentations and hold discussions not only in Japanese but also in English.

(2)English-language Courses

All courses are conducted in English-only classes in small groups in order to develop practical English language skills and the ability to understand social science courses in English gradually.

(3)Study Abroad

Students are required to complete at least four weeks of compulsory study abroad (study abroad, internship abroad, volunteer work, etc.) as a graduation requirement to enhance their English skills, promote understanding of diversity, and acquire the ability to adapt to a different cultural environment. In "Study Abroad I", students develop the capacity to plan and execute their own study abroad programs before departure. In "Study Abroad II", students learn to connect their experiences on study abroad to their subsequent studies in social science courses, and also learn to analyze and reflect on themselves in order to prepare for their careers after graduation.

By effectively combining the above three subject groups, students will acquire the eight items listed in the Diploma Policy.

＊The numbers in parentheses at the end of each item below indicate the number of the item corresponding to items 1. through 8. of the Diploma Policy above for the courses offered by the faculty. ◎ indicates directly related items and ○ indicates items that are indirectly related.

Numbering 100 (Courses for first-year students)

  1. Among Social Science Courses, "Basic Seminars" (compulsory) are provided to teach the basic methodology of social sciences and analysis. (◎: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
  2. Among Social Science Courses, social science lectures in Japanese (elective and compulsory) are provided as introductory courses in various fields of social sciences and to increase students' interest in international society and their motivation to confront issues. (◎: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
  3. English-language courses (compulsory) are provided as the first step for students to study social science subjects in English from the second year onward, in order to enhance their ability to use the four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), to build the vocabulary necessary to understand international society, and to acquire the ability to study autonomously. (◎: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8)
  4. "Study Abroad I" (compulsory) is provided as a lecture course in Japanese to help students understand the significance and purpose of overseas training, learn how to cope with situations in the training and study abroad programs, learn about crisis management, etc., and develop the ability to make and implement their own training plans. (◎: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8; ○: 1, 2, 7)

Numbering 200 (Courses for 2nd year onward)

  1. Among Social Science Courses, social science lectures in Japanese (elective and compulsory) are provided as the subjects to deepen students' knowledge of international society and to provide basic study in each field of social sciences. (◎: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
  2. Among Social Science Courses, social science lectures in English (elective and compulsory) for basic social science study are provided as the subjects for students to acquire the ability to study social sciences in English step by step. (◎: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; ○: 1, 8)
  3. Among English-Language Courses, "Economics in the World" (compulsory) and "Issues in the World" (compulsory) are provided as bridge subjects in the form of exercises to study the same themes as some of the social science lectures in 6. above in order to help students understand social science subjects in English. (◎: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8; ○: 2, 3, 7)
  4. English-Language Courses (elective and compulsory) are arranged to study the basic themes of various social science fields and to support the understanding of social sciences in English. (◎: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8; ○: 2, 3, 7)
  5. English courses (elective) teach the vocabulary and receptive and productive skills in English which are essential for studying social sciences in English. (◎: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8; ○: 2, 3, 7)
  6. "Study Abroad II" (compulsory) is a lecture course in both English and Japanese in which students share their overseas training experiences with other students and to objectively reflect on their experiences through lectures by guests, and to think about how to relate their experiences to their subsequent studies and future career development. (◎: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8; ○: 1, 2, 7)

Numbering 300 (Courses for 3rd and 4th year students)

  1. Among Social Science Courses, social science lectures in English (elective and compulsory) are provided as social science subjects to apply the knowledge learned by the second year and to learn how each field of social science approaches issues in international society. (◎: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; ○: 1, 8)
  2. Among Social Science Courses, "Advanced Seminars" (elective and compulsory) allow students to learn by engaging in a series of processes to collect data, organize references, present and test hypotheses, and make policy recommendations based on the analysis results obtained on a specific theme. (◎: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; ○: 1, 8)
  3. English-Language Courses (elective) are provided for students to learn about topics of their own interest with the support of the teachers in charge, and to acquire techniques that can be applied to reports and graduation theses. (◎: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8; ○: 2, 3, 7)

Numbering 400 (Course for 4th year students)

  1. Among Social Science Courses, "Graduation Thesis" (elective and compulsory) develop the students' ability to write a graduation thesis as a culmination of previous studies, to use social science methods and data to analyze from multiple perspectives, to think of solutions to problems, and to present and discuss their research. (◎: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; ○: 1, 8)

(Educational Methods)

  1. CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) is applied to the curriculum, which integrates English education and social science education.
  2. A CAP system is implemented to set a maximum registration limit for courses required for graduation from the first year to the year of graduation so that students can secure sufficient study time for each subject.
  3. Proactively incorporate teaching methods such as active learning, including the use of LMS, in order to support students' independent study.
  4. Implement small-group education in seminars, etc., to enable students to study according to their abilities and qualifications.
  5. The content and time for preparatory study (preparation and review) are clearly indicated in the syllabus so that students can study autonomously through preparation, review, and applied activities.
  6. Faculty office hours are held at specific times each week so that students can freely ask faculty members questions about course content or other matters related to their studies. They may also consult with faculty online at other times through the LMS or other tools.

(Educational Evaluation)

  1. Curriculum evaluation will be conducted comprehensively based on an actual understanding of grade distribution, graduation/progression decisions, course numbering, class evaluation questionnaires, and syllabus descriptions.
  2. The educational evaluation of individual students will be conducted comprehensively based on an understanding of the actual situation, such as the number of credits required for graduation and judgments based on GPA, and will be utilized for academic support.

4．Admission Policy

The Faculty of International Social Sciences welcomes students who have the following characteristics. Students are admitted through one of several selective examinations.

Knowledge and Skills

  1. Those who have knowledge of Japanese and foreign languages equivalent to a high school diploma as a prerequisite for acquiring the language skills necessary to be active in the field of international business.
  2. Those who have knowledge of mathematics, geography and history, and civics equivalent to a high school diploma, in order to acquire specialized knowledge in the field of social sciences and basic research methods.

Thinking, Judgment, and Expression

  1. Those who can use their knowledge gained up to high school to objectively grasp the gist of diverse topics in international society as presented widely in newspapers, books, and other media, based on data and materials.
  2. Those who can use knowledge gained up to high school to understand the ideas and opinions of people with different values and backgrounds about various topics in international society as presented widely in newspapers, books, and other media.
  3. Those who can use their knowledge gained up to high school to express their thoughts and opinions in an easy-to-understand manner about diverse topics in international society that are widely disseminated through newspapers, books, and other media.

Interest, Willingness, and Attitude

  1. Those who are interested in diverse topics facing the international community as disseminated in newspapers, books, and other media.
  2. Those who have a positive attitude and a motivation to find a career in an international environment and to work with people from different countries in this globalizing world.
  3. Those who have sufficient experience with communication in English.